Treatment with hydrogen sulfide (H2S) protects biological matter from hypoxic and ischemic injury using a stable composition of hydrogen sulfide in mammals. (US Pub. No. 2008/0199541). This discovery provides exciting possibilities for the treatment or prevention of a number of animal and human diseases, particularly hypoxia and ischemia-related diseases and injuries using sulfide compounds.
The present invention meets this need by providing pharmaceutical compositions which are demonstrated herein to protect animals from injury and death resulting from hypoxic and/or ischemic conditions, as well as other injuries and disease conditions.